Each day at our piano mini-camp, we opened the day with an opening activity that involved all 11 of the campers together before sending them off in their individual groups to their first class.
On the first day, the opening activity was to create name tags to wear. My colleague found foam sheets that she cut to size and attached ribbon to. Each student wrote their name with marker and decorated their name tag with stickers. They turned out very cute! And they are definitely more durable than cardstock paper. (Mine is pictured on the right. Although I am married, I had the students address me as “Miss Joy” because it is easier to say.)
The second day, we played a rhythm name game to help the students learn each other’s names. Here is the link to the game we played. We found that it was a little bit complicated to be doing complicated body percussion while chanting, so I would recommend simply clapping or tapping one’s thighs to the beat.
On the final day, we made egg shakers which the students could decorate and take home. We filled plastic easter eggs halfway with rice (or however much the student desired to create the sound they wanted) and taped them closed with colored electrical tape (strongly recommended over glue). The students then added stickers. My egg shaker is pictured at right.
I was able to incorporate the egg shakers into my Music Theory class during a dictation game so they could put them to good use! More information about the activities we did in my Music Theory classes coming soon!